Is there such thing as Google Postcodes API?

 

I've been asked to replace the Ideal Postcodes API that we use, with Google Postcodes API.

 

I can only find the Geolocation API and Places API - neither of which seem to offer a postcode lookup.

 

Currently we use Ideal Postcodes API to offer a customer a list of possible addresses when they enter their postcode.

 

Does anyone have any idea if Google Postcodes API actually exists?

Postcode data is owned and maintained by Royal Mail, which in turn licences it out to authorised resellers like https://www.pcapredict.com/en-us/index/ who usually provide data via some sort of API.

 

There is an "open" version of the postcode database somewhere but i can't locate it now, note that this was quite outdated when I last saw it because postcode data changes every day.

OK, thanks for the response. I am struggling to find a Google Postcodes API so must assume it does not exist.

I don't think Google has a Postcode api. The closest is maps / places api but in reality you'd need a postcode to make it work. There was a copy of PAF years back on WikiLeaks but as blue points out the data changes so often.

 

One project I work on uses https://www.alliescomputing.com/postcoder/geocoding, but they also have https://www.alliescomputing.com/postcoder/address-lookup ... not 'cheap' but pretty accurate, they pay Royal Mail for usage. Note, always store lookups, then when someone else uses it or a repeat visitor you can grab your local info rather than a fresh search.

 

Edit: Forgot to say if Google wanted a postcode lookup they would need to use PAF and I doubt they would want that bill lol.

Edited September 1, 20179 yr by BrowserBugs

And Google now charges for their services (depending on how you plan to use the API): https://developers.google.com/maps/pricing-and-plans/

I'd bet Google has a subscription to PAF, if only to reconcile or use their own mapping data with it. If you type in a postcode into Google maps it takes you to the appropriate lat/long.